Improvement in skirt-supporters



ELIZABETH s. WELDONQ SKIRT-SUPPORTER.

Patented Feb'.15,1 876;

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fivavvdr NPETERS, FHDTDJJTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrica ELIZABETH swELnos, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

e IMPROVEMENT INSKIRT-SUPPORTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,699, dated February 15 1876 application filed October '23, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZABETH STowELL WELDON, of New York, in the county ot'New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Ladies Wearing-Apparel, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to certain improvements in ladies skirt-supporters, its object being to furnish a support for those portions of the clothing usually secured around the waist and supported by the hips, so asto throw the weight of the same upon the shoulders, and relieve the hips, and, fnrther,jto furnish a brace or stay for strengthening the back of the wearafter more fully specified and, second, in combination with the belt, straps, and crescentshaped support for the clothing, of a brace or stay adapted to conform to the shape of the back, and extend from between the shoulderblades down to the small of the back when secured to the person of the wearer, and form a substantial and efficient support for the back.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved skirt-support without the back-braces; and Fig. 2 a view of the same, showing the back-brace attached. Fig. 3 is a sectional view.

The letter A represents the support for the clothing, of such shape as to fit closely to the body of the wearer. This may be madeot' any suitable material, but it is most conveniently formed of a crescent-shaped strip of fabric, around the outer edge of which is secured a rib of elastic metal or other material, a, by means of which the str p is kept properly distended. The inner edge of said strip or support is attached to a belt, B, adapted to fit around the waist of the wearer, and provided with a buckle at one end for fastening, and

with hooks G O, by means of which the loose ends of the straps D D, which are securely at tached to the back of thebelt at their other ends, and extend over the shoulders of the wearer when in place. The letter E represents a strip of fabric secured to the inner edge of t the crescent-shaped support, tothe lower edge of the rear of the belt, or between said support and belt. Said strip is provided with the pockets 6 e on the outside, in which the ends of the curved springs F F are adapted to rest, the upper ends being securely attached to the under side of the support A, said springs serving to keep the support A in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position when secured to the body of the wearer. The straps D D may be made of elastic or nonelastic material, as desired; but it will generally be found preferable to construct them of non-elastic bands with elastic insertions d d, as shown in the drawings. The letter Gr, Fig. 2, represents the brace adapted to fit neatly to the back when in place. Said brace may consist of one or more metal, whalebone, or other strips of material sufficiently elastic 'to bend to-the shape of the back. It will be found most convenient, however, to construct the braces of a series of stays, H H, confined between two sheets of fabric, I, in such positions as to fall upon both sides of the spine when attached to the person. To the upper end of said brace, which falls between the shoulder-blades, are attached the bands or straps l) D, which pass over the shoulders of the wearer, and are secured at the ends, as hereinafter described. Said bands may be made of suitable material, and each may be provided with a short elastic insertion, d, in order to allow the same to yield to the motion ofithe wearer for the sake of comfort and conuvenience'; or the whole maybe made of elaswhen the brace is employed, forming a the fabric formin g part of the brace; or it may be attached to the belt or support A, as before described.

The device is secured to the body of the wearer by passing the straps E over the shoulders. The ends of the-belt arethen fastened around the waist, and the strapssecured to the same at the sides by means ofthe hooks L on the belt and the eyelets=M in .the hands. When thus appliedit will be seen that the support will serve to hold the skirts and other clothing usually fastened around the waist, the whole weight of the same being thrown upon the shoulders, relieving the hips of strain, allowing the clothes to be worn much looser than heretofore, and thus adding greatly to the health and comfort of the wearer, and,

strengthening-support for the body. 1

I am aware that a skirt-supporter composed of rings confined to a corset by a band or strap, and provided with a supporting-band connecting all the rings together, is not new;

and I am also aware that a corset has been constructed with a rib for supporting a ladys skirt, and such I disclaim but, 5'

Having thus described-my invention, what I'claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy 1. The crescent-shaped strip A- of woven fabric, provided with a flexible rib or strip v around its outer edge to keep it distended,

and attached at its inner edge to a belt, B, adapted to be fastened around the body and over the shoulders by means of straps D, in combination with the springs F attached to the'under side of said crescent-shaped strip,

ELIZABETH STOWELL WELDON.

Witnesses: I W; H. MELICK, W.'READ. 

